PG Music Home Forums User-to-User Post your own Tips and Tricks here How to build a song's band using a custom UserStyle

UserTracks are user created RealTracks that are WAV/WMA audio files. BIAB user extraordinaire Henry Clarke posted *this great tutorial* a few months ago. It's his method for how he builds dynamics and a full sound for his BIAB productions. It's spot on and I recommend everyone watch it.

I've developed a technique that tweaks Mr. Henry's method for users like myself that may not immediately move tracks to a DAW and want to build their band by adding additional instruments or styles to their project's band without using another software program because most of my projects aren't immediately moved to a DAW like he does with his projects.

A Style can take up most of the BIAB Mixer Channels and will regenerate a new version of the song each time an instrument is auditioned. A benefit I needed that Mr. Henry's method didn't provide was I wanted to have the ability to audition many additional instruments at a time in the BIAB Mixer without having to export to a DAW in order to hear how various instruments will sound together and how they'll fit in with my chosen style. This method also 'freezes' the style and avoids multiple regenerating which saves a small bit of time. All the while, it allows for experimentation with the Key signature, tempo, and changing the song chord progression, changing the song form and adding bars, intro's and endings.

Mr. Henry points out in his tutorial there are many ways to build a band and he's only describing the method that he's developed that works for him. I'm not criticizing his method but only describing a technique that tweaks his method so that BIAB accomplishes the tasks I listed above by modifying what he does so BIAB reacts in an efficient manner for my workflow.

I made these modifications to Mr. Henry's method quickly and easily by taking a Style and converting the style to a UserTrack - BIAB makes this super easy.... and practically automatic...


The Steps:

. Select a Style for your project the same as Mr. Henry demonstrated in his tutorial. A style that you want to develop into a band for a song you're working on. The Style can be a MIDI Style, RealStyle or a combo Real and Midi style. It can be a custom style you've created and saved as a favorite.
. Open this specific SGU project: The UserTrack One Minute Template SGU file. It's named Song_1m_Pop_1.SGU and it's located in the bb\RealTracks\UserTracks folder on my system. It will be wherever you've placed this folder on your system. Because I do this a lot, I've copied this file to my Desktop and also created a Desktop Link to my UserTracks Folder to speed up the process.
. With the UserTrack SGU file open, Change the Style to the style you previously selected to use for your project.
. Play the Chart - 32 bars, one Chorus
. From the Mixer Toolbar at the top of the page, drag the Master to the WAV quadrant in the Drop station. This renders a master mix stereo file of the UserTrack template.
. Enter DAW mode and drag the Master file to your Desktop.
. Save this SGU file to your Desktop using the Save As command to create a new file to preserve the original file.
. You've created two files. A WAV audio file and the SGU template as a new SGU file.
. Close the BIAB project.
. Create a New Folder on your Desktop and name it whatever you want your UserTrack named.
. Move the saved Master mix and the saved SGU file from the Desktop to your new UserTrack Folder you just created.
. Rename both files in the UserTrack folder to be the same name. You will have two files with the same name but different types, ie: mysong.sgu and mysong.WAV
. Save the UserTrack Folder into your BIAB UserTracks Folder. This is now a working UserTrack.
. Open a new BIAB project. Select a style that contains an instrument or multiple instruments you're interest in auditioning for your song.
. Select a Track in the BIAB Mixer and import your UserTrack you created onto the track.
. Enter the chords, key signature and tempo of your song project. Solo the UserTrack and generate and hear your UserStyle playing over the chords of your song project.
. Your project is ready to review instruments to add to your 'band' and be used to save additional instruments to be loaded into your DAW project or to use in your BIAB song project.


This Usertrack will play the UserStyle you created over this current chord chart in the key and tempo you've selected. Like any RealTrack, you can change the song's Key Signature, Chord Chart, Tempo as well as have six free BIAB Mixer Channels to select, audition and add to the 'band' you previously created and converted to a UserStyle. You can freeze the UserTrack and change Styles if you wish. It provides the means to free up BIAB Mixer Tracks to audition, select and play multiple instruments together over the the song's style without having to export tracks to a DAW or save multiple versions of an SGU file.

However, the UserTrack can be imported into your DAW and used as a scratch track for vocals or a 'quick mix' guide track for importing and volume leveling and panning of all the instruments you auditioned and selected to be used with your song project. Otherwise, simply delete the UserTrack from your BB UserTrack Folder once it's no longer needed.

This technique creates a simple UserTrack that will play over any key, tempo and Chord Chart suitable for auditioning and building a band for a song project.

Good thinking' 99
Yes, Henry has great vidz !

THANKS CHARLIE FOGLE !! Anytime you can "tweak" or enhance anything I've produced is a WIN FOR US ALL !!